Robert Swindells has introduced many characters into Danny’s life like Kim, Ben, Branwell, Rhodes, Lodge and a lot more. He has chosen this variety of characters to show us how different people react to different situations. I think Kim is supposed to be the “sentimental” type of person who fights what she believes for and I think that was done to show that if you are that type of person you should learn to adapt more and if this should ever happen you should do what they did and learn from your mistakes.
All of these characters are set in “Skipley” but I think it is supposed to be Shipley in N.West Lancashire. I think this was done to show us what would happen to a town like ours because we know what it’s like to live in that kind of weather and climate. This is done so we could relate to the weather and the feelings of the northwest area. All this is tied around a plot in which Danny is trying to cope with the devastation from the nuclear bomb.
The plot is fixed around Danny trying to keep alive take care of Ben and Kim and still cope with the death of both his parents. Danny’s mum was killed very soon in the book while his dad tried to keep himself together but he died shortly afterwards. I think this was done to make Danny learn the basics of life at an early age and let him adapt to his surroundings slowly at first but then rapidly. This was done to help Danny evolve into the personality he has at the end of the book. Throughout the entire book there is a strange kind of feeling of shock throughout the book and near the end of the book there is a sad & joyous feeling because Ben dies and they take over the other camp. I personally think reading this book helped me realise the reality of the world we live in today.
The normal reader should read this book and realise having read the book be ready to accept this as a reality. I think is supposed to prepare the reader for a life like this, where every day is a struggle and if this should happen be the first to try and set up a society where there is hope. Also by reading this book the reader should realise all that he has and all that he could lose even if he/she takes that thing for granted e.g.: clean water, food, TV, school, transport, lots of people, etc.
And the audience is supposed to realise that if there were no TV, food, clean water and all of the rest of it, it would be so hard to cope with all the things that have happened. This book would make the reader realise how lucky he really was, even if he didn’t realise it at first. This would also encourage the reader to make the most of what he has and
What he could lose even if he didn’t even realise he had it.
By Mosan Elahi 9R6